


A Gay Ass Coffee Shop Featuring Natasha Romanov As A Bouncer With Impeccable Gaydar

by Mickey_D



Series: Bucky's Beans [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (Insert evil laugh here), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bouncer Natasha Romanov, College Student Steve Rogers, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Post-Civil War Bucky but he still has both his arms, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Is Not Helping, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, Tony is still super duper rich and genuis-y, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a gay coffee shop, also, but a coffee shop, coffee shop owner Bucky, for now, like a gay bar, lots of unnamed cameos, off screen homophobia, so just roll with it please and thank you, the author doesn't really know anything about how to make coffee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24067006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mickey_D/pseuds/Mickey_D
Summary: The one where Sam is The Worst Best Friend Ever and Tony is The Worst Employee Ever.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Bucky's Beans [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736302
Comments: 11
Kudos: 97





	A Gay Ass Coffee Shop Featuring Natasha Romanov As A Bouncer With Impeccable Gaydar

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome, welcome! It's so good to see you all once again. I wrote this story during the college women's basketball championship in 2017. I don't generally watch basketball, but my school (University of South Carolina) was playing and I knew a couple of the girls on the team. We won, which was awesome, and I haven't watched that much basketball ever again. I don't really plan to either; basketball is not my favorite. But it brought me Bucky's Beans so I guess I can't be too mean to the sport.
> 
> Anyway...
> 
> This is the first installment of what has become a major cross-over event with spin-offs already planned. I've been sitting on this so long, and wanted to wait until everything was done before I started posting, but figured I might as well share what I've got because life is about to go NUTS and who knows where I'll end up being writing-wise by the end. 
> 
> Please enjoy, and leave me a comment at the end!
> 
> Love you!
> 
> XOXO
> 
> Mica

“What was it this time?” Sam murmured as he wiped off a little more grime from the spectacular bruise already blooming across Steve’s cheek. “Another damsel in distress?”

Steve grimaced. “No. Not this time.” He hated all of Sam’s hovering, but they’d made a deal back in freshman year: Sam wouldn’t lecture him as long as Steve let him clean his “skinny ass up” after whatever fight he got himself into.

“A racist remark?”

“Closer,” Steve grumbled, doing his best not to squirm away from the antiseptic Sam was using to clean the cut on his lip.

“Closer with a remark,” Sam mumbled to himself. “A homophobic one then?”

“Bingo.”

Sam humphed as he closed the first aid box and put it back underneath the sink. Steve always got into his nastiest scrapes when someone said something even hinting towards homophobia. Sam knew why, of course. You don’t just live with a guy and not realize some things. Steve, though he’d yet to say anything, was gay, or bisexual at the very least. Sam still wasn’t sure Peggy had been an actual girlfriend. He was actually a little hurt that Steve hadn’t been straight with him.

“Have you ever gone to that coffee place on Greene street?”

“There’s a coffee place on Greene?” Steve asked distractedly as he wandered into his bedroom to look for some clean clothes. “What’s it called?”

“Bucky’s Beans.”

“Do you wanna check it out tomorrow?” Steve asked as he flopped onto the couch next to Sam after he found some semi-clean clothes to change into.

“Can’t. I’ve got--”

“Yoga. Right,” Steve interrupted. “You ever gonna ask that girl out?”

“Yes. Next week.”

“Why not tomorrow?”

“I don’t ask questions when you fight. You don’t ask questions when I go to a yoga class to see a girl.”

Steve gave Sam a look, one dripping with disbelief and that’s-not-even-close-to-the-same-thing. He sighed and Sam knew he’d won. “I guess I’m going to a coffee shop tomorrow.”

* * *

Steve didn’t really drink coffee, at least not the fancy brews offered at a coffee shop. He was a simple man; he drank black coffee. He was also a suspicious man as he pushed open the door of Bucky’s Beans. He eyed the other patrons of the dingy little shop tucked between two far better kept stores. They didn’t seem to be unlike any other coffee shop patron Steve had ever seen. They all had cups and leftover crumbs from pastries in front of them. Except for the redhead by the door. She was staring at him while pretending to read a rather thick novel Steve wasn’t sure was in English.

He shrugged off the stare and moved toward the counter. An older guy with hair standing on end and tinted glasses perched on his nose was wiping down a bright pink mug. He was also staring at Steve, but that was probably because Steve was trying to figure out what he was going to order and this guy was the only one behind the counter.

It was an impressive menu. There were lots of different kinds of coffee from places Steve hadn’t come across while studying political science. Then there were the various teas Steve thought Wanda might like. He could always go with a fail-safe hot chocolate, but it was March. It felt too late for hot chocolate. Steve took a breath. He would just ask for a regular coffee. Surely they’d have that.

Steve stepped up to the counter, opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t get his words out before the guy behind the counter was shouting to the back, “Bucky. We’ve got a customer.”

“Tony, you could take the poor kid’s order,” was Bucky’s distant reply from the back.

“Nah,” Tony said as he put down the pink mug. “I think you’re gonna want to take this one.” And then in a complete shift of subject and focus, “Oi! William. Get over here and finish with these glasses. Let your lover boy get his homework done.”

Steve’s attention followed Tony’s. A tall blonde guy was saying something to a mousy boy with long hair framing his face. They were both smiling, and then the tall blonde kissed the small kid still sitting. He kissed him on the lips. Steve’s eyes widened. He took a quick inventory of the place, ready to fight anyone if they said or did anything. No one seemed to be talking about it. No one was even giving the parting couple a weird look. The redhead was smirking at Steve, though. He was clearly missing something.

He took a better look around. Two boys near the front windows were definitely playing footsie. The one with a sharp smile was definitely teasing the hell out of the lanky one with green eyes. Two girls in the back corner were cuddling--there was no other word for what they were doing. There was plenty of room on the other side of the table and in the booth they were occupying, yet they were practically on top of each other. There were a couple groups spread around the floor, but Steve was starting to entertain thoughts of budding relationships of the girls sharing goldfish while their friends discussed the merits of Shakespeare sonnets and a first date between two guys had been interrupted by a nosy bunch of fond cockblockers who just wanted to meet “the one we’ve heard so much about”.

“Tony,” Bucky sighed as he came out from the back. “How many times do I have to remind you that you don’t get to order my staff around?”

“Probably as many times as I have to remind you who funds this dump.”

Steve turned back to the counter. His breath froze in his chest and he instinctively reached for his inhaler. Bucky of Bucky’s Beans was impressive to say the very least. Long hair swept up into a bun. Thick muscles filling out a red henley left open over a broad chest. He had dark scruff clinging to his jaw and pale eyes. A no doubt sinful mouth curled into a smirk the longer Steve just stared.

“What can I get for you, sweetheart?”

That line had the redhead snorting. Steve was yanked--thankfully--out of his daze by that. Bucky sent her a glare and a little frown before he put his smirk back in place. Steve’s eyes darted up to the menu again to buy himself a little time to find his voice so that he could order...something. Black coffee seemed too simple now. Unimpressive in a way Steve did not want Bucky to think of him as.

“What do you recommend?” Steve asked. It was nearly painful to look at Bucky.

“Well…” Bucky launched into his recommendations. He was very animated about his coffee, clearly loved this place. Steve wasn’t really listening. He was just watching Bucky talk. It was mesmerizing. His voice was heavenly. Steve was going to kill Sam. “But you look like a man who appreciates a simple, strong black.”

Steve’s wandering thoughts were rudely interrupted by the end of Bucky’s speech. “What?” he spluttered.

“I said you look like a man who appreciates the simple things like a cup of black coffee. None of these fancy things,” Bucky said with a wave towards the menu.

“Sounds good,” Steve managed to say, proud of himself for avoiding voice cracks or anything like that. Sam was dead to him.

Bucky rung him up and then proceeded to sing as he made his cup of coffee. He would look back at Steve, who hadn’t left the counter yet, as he made his drink. He’d brewed a fresh pot. Steve nearly fell over when he stumbled back as Bucky began to pass him a dark blue mug with steam curling from the top. “There’s cream and sugar over there,” Bucky said, pointing to a little table on the far wall. “Then just sit anywhere you like, but I recommend the table by the window. Good for natural light and warmth and people watching.”

“Thank you,” Steve breathed as he took his coffee.

He didn’t bother with the milk or sugar. He thought it more prudent to sit down before he dropped hot coffee on his feet. That wouldn’t do much for improving the impression he was leaving on Bucky. Nor will the fact that he keeps getting caught staring at Bucky working behind the counter help his case much either. Bucky’s going to think he’s weird. It’s best to just finish his coffee and get out of here so he can drag Sam from his stupid yoga class and kill him. Would it have been so hard to tell Steve that this was, from what Steve could suss out, a gay coffee shop? He was grateful, sure, but Sam could have told him.

Steve’s eyes caught the newest arrival as the door opened. The girl reading by the door saw the classic frat boy too--the backwards ball cap and tall white socks a dead give away--and hopped up before he could pass her. She mumbled something, Steve just picking up the words “sorry” and “broken machine”, and the boy disappeared. Steve watched him pass on this news to a couple of guys who were approaching, but they weren’t deterred. They came right in. The taller boy gave the redhead a fist bump while the shorter one skipped ahead to the counter to start an animated conversation with Bucky. Steve was only marginally jealous of the apparent friendship strong between Bucky and the newcomer. Bucky flashed him a grin as he turned to start making this couple’s order and Steve vowed to keep his eyes on the people passing by instead of the counter.

The coffee was phenomenal, the people watching superb, and it was all over far too soon. Steve had work to do today. He’d already pushed it back as far as he could. He dragged his feet towards the trash to put his dishes in the bin and toss the napkin that had sat unused under his mug.

“I’d keep that napkin, hun,” the redhead said without looking up from her book.

Steve’s brow furrowed as he looked closely at the napkin he’d almost thrown away. He turned it over to see a number scrawled across it with a name and a confident _Call Me!_ Steve sent a furtive glance back to the counter, but Bucky had disappeared again and now William and Tony were trying to catch bits of coffee cake in their mouths. Steve was not disappointed. He. was. Not.

* * *

“Steve!” Sam shouted a couple of days later. “Bucky is on the phone!”

Steve barreled out of his bedroom and snatched the phone from a smug Sam. He hid away in the kitchen while Sam settled on the couch, throwing his feet up on the coffee table. Sending Steve to Bucky’s Beans was a good idea. He was very curious to know who this Bucky character was (beyond the namesake of the coffee shop).

“I hate you so much,” Steve grumbled as he returned to his bedroom after finishing up his phone call.

“Love you too, buddy,” Sam called after him with a grin. He got a smile, shake of the head, and a middle finger for his sentiment.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought! I'll post the next part next week!
> 
> P.S. This is dedicated to Wifey whose cheerleading and demanding got me to agree to making this a series :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Love You a Latte](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24092095) by [Ruby_Casablanca](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruby_Casablanca/pseuds/Ruby_Casablanca)




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